Tale of the Tape: Nov. 17, 2017 vs. Manitoba

Road Check

While the Chicago Wolves are struggling regardless of the venue — home or away — the Wolves road statistics could use some tender love and care. Through six road contests, Chicago has been outscored 23-17 although three of the six contests have been decided by just one goal. Additionally, the Wolves’ road endeavors have included back-to-back shutouts — one for and one against. Goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo, who was loaned to the Wolves by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 23, secured the team’s most recent road win when he whitewashed the Grand Rapids Griffins, 2-0, on Nov. 3.

FOUR GAMES AND ZERO POINTS

The Chicago Wolves have gone four games without earning a point, which hasn’t happened often in franchise history. The last time the club battled through a four-game losing streak was March 30 to April 8, 2016, and the last time the Wolves lost more than four consecutive games was a six-game skein Nov. 6-17, 2010. During that streak — like the current one — Chicago never scored more than two goals in a game.

Goals Over Games

The Chicago Wolves are averaging just 2.54 goals per games, which is the fourth-lowest average in the American Hockey League this season. Only the Bakersfield Condors (.458), Cleveland Monsters (.577) and Ontario Reign (.409) are averaging fewer goals. All three teams yield a better win percentage than the Wolves (.346).

SIX OF ONE, HALF-DOZEN OF THE OTHER

Six of the Chicago Wolves’ nine losses this season have been by one goal, which ties the Springfield Thunderbirds for the most one-goal losses in the American Hockey League in 2017-18. This trend continues from last season when Springfield (25) and Chicago (22) finished 1-2 in one-goal losses, but things like these tend to revert to the mean as time goes along — which suggests the Wolves are due for some one-goal wins soon. This season, the Hartford Wolf Pack, Providence Bruins and Syracuse Crunch are the next three teams with the most one-goal losses with five each.

By the Numbers:

2: In the last six games — dating back to Oct. 28 — the Chicago Wolves have collected no more than two goals in a single game. Of 13 contests this season, the Wolves have scored no more than two goals in eight of them. In the Wolves’ first three games of the year — two losses to the Texas Stars and a home-opener victory against the Ontario Reign — Chicago netted five goals in each of those contests. The Wolves’ other three victories — a 2-1 overtime thriller over Tucson, a 2-0 shutout against reigning Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids and 2-1 regulation W against then-Central Division leader Milwaukee — have not featured more than two goals for the guys in burgundy and gold.

4: In Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Manitoba Moose, the Stefan Matteau– T.J. Tynan– Paul Thompson line accounted for five of the six points scored by Wolves players. Matteau and Tynan each recorded two-point performances as Matteau collected his first two goals of the 2017-18 campaign and Tynan assisted on both markers. Thompson also earned an assist on the first goal of the game just 1:16 into the first period. The tally was the Wolves’ quickest to date during the 2017-18 campaign. Thompson’s goal was faster than the Wolves’ quickest tally during the 2016-17 season: Samuel Blais’ goal on Dec. 3 versus the Iowa Wild that came 1:18 into the night.

5: In 24 years, the Wolves’ longest string of regulation losses stands at seven. Though Chicago lost seven straight games from Dec. 23, 2000, to Jan. 6, 2001, the club found a way to right the ship and reach the Turner Cup Final in the International Hockey League’s closing season. After rolling past the Milwaukee Admirals (4-1) and Manitoba Moose (4-2), the Wolves fell to the Orlando Solar Bears in five games.

23.5: Through the first 13 games of the season, the Chicago Wolves defense corps has accounted for 23.5 percent of the team’s scoring. Averaging just 2.54 goals per game, the Wolves are struggling to find the back of the net in general. However, they are not getting much assistance from the defensemen when compared to last season’s output. When the Wolves won the Central Division in 2016-17, Chicago’s blueliners were responsible for nearly 30 percent of Wolves scoring. Rookie defenseman Vince Dunn accounted for nearly 20 percent of that on his own. The then-20-year-old collected 45 points (13G, 32A) to lead all Wolves defensemen and American Hockey League first-year blueliners in points.

140: Though the Chicago Wolves managed to collect 10 minutes in penalties during Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Manitoba Moose, the club owns the fewest penalty minutes in the entire American Hockey League with 140. Of those 140 minutes, only 10 of them — two infractions — are due to majors. Chicago has yet to incur any misconduct or match penalties.

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